Poem
Robert Hass
THE PROBLEM OF DESCRIBING TREES
HET PROBLEEM BOMEN TE BESCHRIJVEN
De esp glinstert in de windEn dat verrukt ons.
Het blad fladdert, krult om,
Omdat die beweging in de hitte van augustus
Zijn cellen behoedt voor uitdroging. Zo ook het blad
Van de populier.
De gen-groep bracht een trillende stam voort
En de boom danste. Nee.
De boom kapitaliseerde.
Nee. Er zijn grenzen aan taal
Om te zeggen wat de boom deed.
Het is goed dat poëzie ons soms ontnuchtert.
Dans met mij, danser. O, zal ik doen.
Bergen, hemel,
De esp die iets doet in de wind.
© Vertaling: 2010, H.C. ten Berge
From: Een verhaal over het lichaam
Publisher: 2010, , Amsterdam
From: Een verhaal over het lichaam
Publisher: 2010, , Amsterdam
THE PROBLEM OF DESCRIBING TREES
The aspen glitters in the windAnd that delights us.
The leaf flutters, turning,
Because that motion in the heat of August
Protects its cells from drying out. Likewise the leaf
Of the cottonwood.
The gene pool threw up a wobbly stem
And the tree danced. No.
The tree capitalized.
No. There are limits to saying,
In language, what the tree did.
It is good sometimes for poetry to disenchant us.
Dance with me, dancer. Oh, I will.
Mountains, sky,
The aspen doing something in the wind.
© 2007, Robert Hass
From: Time and Materials. Poems 1997-2005
Publisher: Ecco (HarperCollins Publishers), New York
From: Time and Materials. Poems 1997-2005
Publisher: Ecco (HarperCollins Publishers), New York
Poems
Poems of Robert Hass
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THE PROBLEM OF DESCRIBING TREES
The aspen glitters in the windAnd that delights us.
The leaf flutters, turning,
Because that motion in the heat of August
Protects its cells from drying out. Likewise the leaf
Of the cottonwood.
The gene pool threw up a wobbly stem
And the tree danced. No.
The tree capitalized.
No. There are limits to saying,
In language, what the tree did.
It is good sometimes for poetry to disenchant us.
Dance with me, dancer. Oh, I will.
Mountains, sky,
The aspen doing something in the wind.
From: Time and Materials. Poems 1997-2005
THE PROBLEM OF DESCRIBING TREES
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